For around $50 on Ebay the excellent seller 'Sound City Beaches' are selling a Wagner 33 cd box set complete (almost)set of his Operas on the Decca label which equals about $1.60 per cd!, obviously for that price there no libretto to the Operas, so you will have to check on the web or library for the story/info. I do not think there is a cheaper way of getting into Wagner in my opinion. If you want just to buy the Ring cycle then for around $30 there is the Levine 'Ring' set on DG again by the seller 'Sound City Beaches'.
Anything Sir Georg Solti has recorded on Wagner can be considered excellent, and is the benchmark of Wagner by many.
Anything Sir Georg Solti has recorded on Wagner can be considered excellent, and is the benchmark of Wagner by many.